


Kodachrome: Exposed

by HYPERFocused, RsCreighton



Series: Kodachrome [3]
Category: Smallville
Genre: Alien Clark, Aliens, Bingo, Community: pt-lightning, Confessions, Established Relationship, F/M, Lex Finds Out, M/M, Movie Reference, PT-Lightning Challenge, Photography, Protective Lex, Science, Secrets, Universe Alteration, Vacation, Warrior Angel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-31
Updated: 2015-05-31
Packaged: 2018-04-01 19:34:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4032019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HYPERFocused/pseuds/HYPERFocused, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RsCreighton/pseuds/RsCreighton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: Clark wants to shoot the truth. Lex doesn't want to pose anymore.<br/><img/><br/>The Instamatic version, for those who don't know/don't remember the basic storyline: Briefly, Clark has an alter ego of K.L. "Kal" Kent, award winning photographer. He met Lex when Luthorcorp hired him to shoot P.R pictures, after Lex came back from the island he crash landed on after his wedding to Helen. He and Lex are now in an established relationship, and Lex knows one of his secrets (that he's also Clark Kent). He does not know the big one, yet, though he has his suspicions. Clark has admitted that "meteor rocks" affect him badly, and that he has certain gifts, but has not directly told Lex about his origins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kodachrome: Exposed

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sure waiting 7 years for a fic update must be some kind of record. For anyone who has been reading since then, or earlier, I started this in _2003_! you've got my profound apologies. This is chapter 24. For those that are new, or newish, thanks for checking out my baby. Sady, the last roll of the real Kodachrome left the factory floor a few years back. Do you think maybe if I'd updated sooner...Oh, and you're welcome for the earworm.;)
> 
> Thanks to RsCreighton for her amazing audio accompaniment. The beautiful banner is by ctbn60.

Download (right click & save as)

Length: 19:45

[MP3 (18MB)](http://rscreighton.parakaproductions.com/PT_Lightning/May%202015/Kodachrome.mp3)

Streaming:

_When I think back_  
_On all the crap I learned in high school_  
_It’s a wonder_  
_I can think at all_  
_And though my lack of education_  
_Hasn’t hurt me none_  
_I can read the writing on the wall_

_Kodachrome_  
_They give us those nice bright colors_  
_They give us the greens of summers_  
_Makes you think all the world’s_  
_A sunny day, oh yeah_  
_I got a Nikon camera_  
_I love to take a photograph_  
_So mama, don’t take my Kodachrome away_  
\--- Kodachrome by Paul Simon 

Clark had been eighteen for awhile now, or whatever he was in Kryptonian years, and only a few months away from graduating Smallville High. Soon after that he'd be matriculating at Met U. Their photojournalism program was supposed to be top notch, plus he would be close enough to get home to help with the farm work. This was true even if he drove, but he probably wouldn't. Who was he kidding? Of course he wouldn't drive unless he had to, say, take Pete or Chloe home for the weekend. Getting to run, really run, was exhilarating. And the pictures he could get were amazing.  
He'd have to live in the dorms his freshman year, which sucked, even if his folks both said it was a college experience he shouldn't miss, but after that the city was his. Or theirs, anyway. He had it on good authority that a certain young business mogul/ photographer's muse might be on the lookout for a new roommate for his Metropolis penthouse.

He wasn't sure how his parents would feel about it. They trusted Lex, for the most part, but losing their son to him was a different story entirely. Clark couldn't blame them for being cautious. It was unnecessary, but, well, worrying was what moms did. 

If she knew what Clark had been thinking about lately, she'd worry even more. His dad? His dad would kill him. Or maybe kill Lex. Okay, that was probably an exaggeration, but he'd certainly make Clark wish he was dead.

It didn't matter, though. Clark was old enough, and certainly mature enough to make his own decisions about his own life. So Clark planned on revealing his true nature. He hated lying to Lex, or prevaricating, avoiding certain issues, whatever term his parents liked to use to make hiding who he was from the people he loved, and trusted most somehow palatable. He'd gotten so good at compartmentalizing that keeping people in the dark became second nature. 

That's why he'd decided he wasn't going to do it anymore. Not with Lex. Clark loved him, and more relevant to the issue at hand, he trusted Lex. They were going to spend their lives together. He wasn't going to start his adult life hiding his true self from the person who should know him best of all.  
Lex knew there was more to Clark's 'gifts' than Clark had ever revealed, yet he'd never pressed him for more information. The one time they had talked about it, he'd assumed Clark was another meteor freak. He hadn't used that term, of course. Lex hated that expression, even though many of the affected people did some frankly freaky things. Clark didn't correct him. He just said "Something like that."

Whatever the case, Clark was sure Lex could reach his own conclusions about just how different Clark was from the others. He was the only one who had several strange abilities, not just the one. Nobody else got sick around Kryptonite (or knew what to call it.) Lex hated that so many people referred to them as "meteor rocks". The word was " _meteorite,_ damn it! It's even easier to write!" Yeah, Lex could be a bit anal. Not that there was anything wrong with that. (Okay, so his mother had been on a Seinfeld kick lately. Clark also discovered that Alicia Baker was the Smallville version of a close-talker.)

Thinking about it further, he decided he wasn't going to go behind his parents' backs after all, even if it would be easier. He was determined. He would tell Lex the whole truth while they were on vacation. Hopefully everyone would be in a good mood, and maybe would have a few of those umbrella drinks under their belts. Not him, of course. One, he was still technically underage, and yes, his folks cared. Two, alcohol didn't really do anything to him, anyway. Yes, he'd tried it.

Clark trusted Lex implicitly, but knew his parents didn't, yet. Someday they would, he vowed. But telling Lex when they were away from Smallville, and all things Kryptonian, would give Lex time to process it all. Plus, it would give his mom and dad the chance to see first hand what a stand-up guy Lex was.  
Clark could ease him into it, and Lex wouldn't be able to rush into "show me everything, now, now, now!" mode, like his father feared. Actually, his dad had been long convinced that anyone with a Luthor in their name would have Clark in a lab full of Kryptonite and bizarre surgical instruments like that creepy gynecologist in Dead Ringers. Even now, he believed Lionel would do this in a heartbeat, but maybe not Lex.

Clark hoped that spending some real time together would bring them closer, show everyone Lex was nothing like his father. "He was the Gallant to Lionel's Goofus" was how Chloe had once put it. Clark had barely been able to hold back his snicker when he saw Lionel on TV for the next few days, imagining the cheesy old fashioned picture it would make. _Lex gives his expecting or adopting employees a generous family benefits package. Lionel tells his employees to give birth during your vacations. Miss more than a week of work and there'll be someone else in your place._

His dad had gotten way too much of a kick out of that, coming back with "Honestly, son, I mostly saw them as the 'what's wrong with this picture' page" He'd insisted he was kidding when Clark and his mother both gave him dirty looks.

"I'm taking you to the tropics for Christmas," Lex had said. Clark was still feeling sick from the meteor rock exposure, so hadn't thought to protest then. Now it was a different story. Not that he and his parents wouldn't enjoy such a getaway, but he was sure Lex would find the reminder of his months stranded on that God forsaken island unpleasant at best.

Clark knew Lex still had an occasional nightmare about it. He didn't really talk about it, but once had woken up Clark by yelling something like "Lewis, no!" Clark shook him awake, and asked "Who the hell was Lewis, and what did he do to you?" The thought that some ex had treated him badly enough to cause the nearly unflappable Lex Luthor to have nightmares upset Clark greatly. Honestly, learning that Lewis had been someone Lex's malaria-ridden subconscious had cooked up in Lex's fevered, near starving state was worse.

He'd never say anything, but the reminders of Helen's honeymoon betrayal would surely return with a vengeance. Lex wouldn't let that stop him, but it was supposed to be a happy time, not just more stress.

"Look, I know you want to give us a nice holiday, and get away from Smallville and the weird shi --stuff that happened here, and that's great, but this trip isn't a good idea."

"Why not? Do you think your parents will be offended that Luthor money would be paying for it?"

Yeah, there was that, but it wasn't really the issue. "It's not that, exactly. I think they're fond enough of you that it would be okay."

"Well, that's a start, anyway. So what _is_ the problem?"

"Lex, you had a really bad experience on a tropical island. I don't want you to dredge up the whole mess and start having nightmares all the time. If we go anywhere, don't you think it should be someplace closer to home?"

"That's really thoughtful, but totally unnecessary.Yes, I have the occasional nasty reminder popping up to interrupt my sleep, or _our_ sleep, sorry. The fact is, I wouldn't give up those horrible months for anything."

"My God, Lex, that's cra--" Clark stopped himself before he said the whole word."Why not?"

"Think about it. If I hadn't lived through all that, I wouldn't have needed a photographer in the first place. We never would have met. Can you imagine that? Because I can't imagine what kind of person I would be without you in my life."

"You know I love you, too." Clark leaned in to kiss him, and Lex returned the favor whole heartedly. Clark pulled away to finish his point before anything more heated could start. "But I think somehow we would have found each other anyway. Like you once said, destiny."

"Okay, yes, I do think we would have met, but it could have been under much different circumstances. Maybe even bad ones."

"Bad ones?" Clark couldn't picture that.

"Well, you know my father was trying to make me move to Smallville for a few years before I fell in love with you, and decided that spending my days at the crap factory would be worth it if I got to spend my nights with you. Until then I always told him no."

"So..." Clark didn't quite get it.

"So, i could have run into you back when I would have been resentful about being stuck in Smallville, and had a rocky start. You might even have hated me."

"No way. I suppose it's marginally possible that I might not know you, but I could never hate you."

* * *

It was cute, Lex thought, how Clark tried to shield Lex even from psychological distress, but it wasn't necessary. It was true, the whole island fiasco had been horrible, nothing he'd want to experience again, but the end result had been worth it. If Lex hadn't been instructed to have photos taken to assure LuthorCorp shareholders that he had recovered fully, and was up to snuff, Lex never would have met Kal, or Clark really. So while his memories of the crash and the time after were indeed awful, he wouldn't change a second of it.

Though if Clark thought vacationing with the (eventual, he hoped) in-laws could possibly be stress-free Lex would have to rethink his assessment of his boyfriend's intelligence.

He thought about it, and actually agreed that scaling down his plan would be best. So he booked them a week in Florida. First Orlando. He didn't think the Kents had ever taken Clark there. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the new Warrior Angel Experience was about to open there. Nothing.  
Then they'd spend the weekend at his favorite beach-side resort. This might be a bit more posh than Clark's father would prefer, but frankly Mrs Kent deserved some damn pampering. He booked three rooms, of course, for propriety's sake, but everyone knew the drill. Clark would make sure that "his" room looked slept in, but any actual sleep would take place in Lex's suite. The walls were sound proofed, thank God, so neither couple would have to hear the other 'enjoying' their vacation.

"Geez, Lex! Those are my parents you're talking about." Clark sounded so scandalized it was adorable.

"Come on, Clark. You know your parents have sex." Lex didn't stop himself from chuckling.

"I know that. I just don't want proof."

"Don't you have that anyway, what with your super-hearing and X-Ray vision?"

"Don't remind me. I try to block them out."

"So, what, you'd like to believe your parents only had sex to create you?"

"Yep. And since I'm adopted, they've obviously been celibate since they got married." Clark gave Lex his goofiest grin (and he had a bunch) to show he wasn't serious, and Lex had no choice but to kiss him on his silly, crinkly nose.

Lex wanted to do more than that, if, as he hoped, all this talk about his parents hadn't put Clark out of the mood. He thought about telling Clark his mother must have been a babe, she was certainly lovely now. His own sense of self preservation prevailed. Clark had a bit of a jealous streak, and that might truly spoil the mood.

"Lex?" Clark said, and looked at Lex rather nervously, if Lex could judge his atypical facial expression. It wasn't quite 'Oh, there are meteorites around, I need to get away" but clearly he was uncomfortable or apprehensive about something.

"Yes? Are you all right, Clark? Do you feel ill? I mean, I don't see how you could be, unless some of those meteorites landed all the way in Florida, but whatever it is, I'll fix it."

"It's not an 'it' that needs fixing, it's me. I'm not who you think I am. I'm not what anyone thinks I am."

Now seemed an odd time for Clark to be having an identity crisis. But something was going on. "You're not Clark Kent, aka the remarkably talented young photographer K.L, Kal, Kent, and the love of my life?" Yeah, Clark in distress made Lex a little sappy. It was true, though. Clark was it for him.

"I have to tell you something. It's a big something. It's something I've wanted to tell you all along, but I just couldn't until recently... And I didn't want to tell you back at home."

"Okay..." Lex actually had what he thought was a pretty good idea on what Clark was about to say. It was something he'd intuited ages ago, after learning about all of Clark's 'gifts'. "Here, sit by me." He took Clark's hand and turned to look at him. God, Clark was beautiful.

Clark looked down. "I'm a little bit afraid that once you hear what I have to say, you won't want me to touch you anymore, and I don't think I could bear that."

"There's absolutely nothing you could say to make me feel that way. I love touching you, and kissing you, and every other wonderful, intimate, loving thing we do, so stop worrying and tell me what's up."

"Thanks, Lex. I do feel a little bit better after all that reassurance. Okay, here goes: I know you think I am, and I've never specifically corrected you, but I'mNotaMeteorFreak." He said the last bit almost too fast for Lex to understand.

"Of course you're not a freak."

"Just let me get all this out. I'm not affected by the meteor rocks, sorry, _meteorites_ , I'm the cause of them. They're called Kryptonite, and they came down with me and my ship. I'm so sorry. Your hair, and all the other weird things in Smallville, are my fault."

"May I talk now?" Lex asked. He was so right. He gave himself imaginary brownie points.

Clark nodded.

"I know. Or at least I suspected as much. Scientist, you know."

"So you're not mad? Really?" Lex smiled and shook his head. Clark's answering, tremendous grin was like sunshine coming from behind a rain cloud.

"I love you, you know. Even if you are a 'Creature from Another World.'" Lex put on his best 1950s SciFi voice.

" I was never on a soap, Lex. Don't be silly."

"Well, General Hospital was the one with the cute alien guy. " Lex remembered this from being home sick, and watching with his mom. It was one of her few frivolous pastimes.

"I thought _I_ was your cute alien guy!"

"Well, you're not bad, as these things go. Somewhere between E.T and that kid with no navel. But you know, you're no Spock."

"Jerk. If you don't watch yourself, I'm going to phone home."

"Owwch!" Lex replied, laughing and pulling Clark down to him, loving the way they fit together. Human and alien. Caucasian and Kryptonian. He quoted another benevolent extra terrestrial visitor. "I'll be riiight here!"

**Author's Note:**

> Fits my Clexmas Bingo squares for Vacation, Alien, Sleepy/Unconscious. If I'd managed to put Lex in some Latex or rubber, I'd have a Bingo.


End file.
